Born in George, South Africa, van der Merwe came through the Blue Bulls system, playing for their U19 and U21 sides and making two senior appearances.

He represented South Africa at U20 level at the 2014 Junior World Championship before moving to Top 14 side Montpellier, where he scored in each of his three league appearances.

The 6ft 4in wing joined Edinburgh in the summer of 2017 and made an instant impression after returning from injury that November. He scored 10 tries in 18 appearances to win the club’s Best Newcomer award, as Edinburgh reached the PRO14 play-offs for the first time.

He hit double figures again in 2018/19, and his brace of intercepted tries in the 1872 Cup win over Glasgow Warriors at BT Murrayfield in December 2018 remains one of the great derby moments. He was named PRO14 Players’ Player of the Season for 2019/20.

Having qualified on residency, van der Merwe scored on his Scotland debut against Georgia in October 2020. Months later, he scored the only try of the game as Scotland won the Calcutta Cup at Twickenham for the first time in 38 years. That form earned him a place on the 2021 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa, where he started all three Tests.

After a spell with Worcester Warriors, van der Merwe returned home to Edinburgh in October 2022 on a long-term deal.

Within months, he produced one of the most famous tries in Six Nations history. He collected the ball inside his own half at Twickenham and beat a string of England defenders before scoring, then added the late winner in a 29-23 victory. The solo score was named Guinness Six Nations Try of the Championship and World Rugby Men’s Try of the Year for 2023.

He scored his first Rugby World Cup try against Tonga in 2023, and in 2024 became the first Scotland player to score a Calcutta Cup hat-trick. On the 2024 Americas tour he became Scotland men’s all-time leading try-scorer, scoring his 28th international try against Uruguay.

In December 2024, van der Merwe committed his future to the club until at least Rugby World Cup 2027, and he made his 100th Edinburgh appearance in the 1872 Cup at Hampden Park later that month.

He was selected for his second Lions tour in 2025, finishing as the tourists’ top try-scorer in Australia with five, including a hat-trick against the AUNZ Invitational XV. He won his 50th Scotland cap against the USA in November 2025.